The instant invention relates to mailer-type business forms and the like, and more particularly, to a reverse eccentric double parallel pressure seal form which provides an increased amount of customer printed variable space.
Various mailer-type business forms have been provided in the past as evidenced by, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,375,764; 4,928,875; 5,201,464; 5,314,110; 5,346,123; 5,366,145; 5,370,304; 5,553,774; 6,622,390; 5,785,242; 6,015,085 and 5,513,795, each of which is incorporated be reference herein in its entirety.
While these and other prior art business forms have proven to be useful and convenient for many applications, further improvements in such forms are still desired. For example, increasing the space that is available on the forms for customer printed variable information in an easy, inexpensive and efficient manner would significantly improve such forms for many applications. More particularly, it would be advantageous to maximize the space that is available on mailer-type business forms for use in printing information or providing detachable elements that relate to the mailer. Various types of mailer type business forms could use improvements in the manner in which the are laid out and configured, for the purpose of providing a mailer that is easy to assemble (e.g., fold) into a form that can be easily mailed in connection with a business activity or the like, while also providing a large amount of space for printing thereon.
Mailer-type forms also require that the form be configured such that, when it is folded, the form includes an outgoing address and return address in a manner that generally corresponds to a conventional letter. Some mailer-type forms have also been designed in the past to include an integral return envelope that can be used by the recipient of the mailer for replying to the mailer, such as, for example, to send a check back to the sender of the mailer upon receipt thereof. The reply envelope is constructed as part of the form in a manner that enables the reply envelope to be removed from the mailer and resealed prior to mailing the envelope back to the original sender or other party. Such mailer-type forms have also included an integral return check stub for filling out and returning with a check, and/or a customer receipt that can be removed from the mailer and kept by the recipient as a record of the transaction. Mailer type forms have also been used to provide a check to the recipient, together with information relating to the check, such as a check statement.
Mailer-type business forms have a variety of applications and come in a variety of forms. As indicated above, such forms may include a return envelope, detachable or attached stubs, detachable receipts, and/or detachable checks. Such mailer forms have also come in a non-check and non-return envelope configuration that is designed to act simply as a mailer with customer printed variable data thereon. Such forms have been provided in a cut sheet format, a continuous fan-fold format as well as other formats.
The instant invention is designed to improve all of the types of mailer-type business forms discussed above, as well as other similar mailer-type forms, by improving the available space on the forms for printing application specific or customer defined information. In other words, the instant invention provides an improved design and configuration for mailer-type business forms.
In accordance with the invention, the mailer form includes four main panels, three of which are substantially the same size and shape and are configured to be z-folded. An outgoing address for the mailer is printed at the bottom of the lower one of the three panels (i.e., at the bottom of the form prior to folding) at a location that begins approximately 1.125 inches from the bottom of the form. The fourth panel, which constitutes a double parallel external panel, is designed to fold over the z-folded first three panels such that the outgoing address on the z-folded portion is still visible. In other words, the fourth panel is shorter than the z-folded panels, thereby enabling the fourth or front external panel to leave the outgoing address visible on the z-folded portion of the form when folded thereon. In order to maximize the space for enabling printing on the form, the fourth panel is preferably designed such that it extends to a position that is approximately 1.125 inches short of the bottom of the form, thereby making the fourth panel as large as possible without covering the outgoing address on the form. A return address and postal stamp portion may also be printed on the back of the fourth panel such that the final folded form includes both an outgoing address, a return address and a postal stamp portion, thereby enabling the form to look similar to a conventional letter-type mailer that can be easily mailed in accordance with conventional postal procedures and requirements.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a mailer type business form is provided which includes: first, second, third and fourth panels defining a sheet prior to folding the form, each of the panels having a front and back surface. The first, second and third panels are substantially the same size and shape and are interconnected at first and second panel fold lines in a manner that enables the first, second and third panels to be z-folded onto each other. The first panel includes outgoing address indicia on a lower portion of the front surface of the first panel, wherein the lower portion constitutes at least part of a visible portion of a front face of the mailer form when the form is folded and ready for mailing. The fourth panel is interconnected to the third panel at a third fold line, and the fourth panel is shorter than the first panel by an amount that causes the fourth panel to extend to a location that is just slightly above the outgoing address indicia on the first panel when folded against the first panel. When folded for mailing, the back surface of the fourth panel and the lower portion of the first panel define the front face of the mailer form. Adhesive is provided on the mailer form for removably holding the fourth panel against the first panel when the fourth panel is folded onto the first panel.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the lower portion of the first panel encompasses approximately the lower 1.125 inches of the first panel.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first, second, third and fourth panels define a sheet prior to folding the form, and the first panel fold line is approximately 10.2 inches from the top of the sheet, the second panel fold line is approximately 6.5 inches from the top of the sheet, and the third fold line is approximately 2.4 inches from the top of the sheet.